Ttjrn-table center



M. G. HILPERT. TURN TABLE CENTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR-30. 1918.

Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1- M. G. HILPERT TURN TABLE CENTER. w APPLICATION 'FILED APR. 30, 1918.

Patented De 16, 3 SHEETSS HEET awuemtoz fife/E18 Geo. H/L EIW' M. G. HILPERT.

,TURN TABLE CENTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30. I918.

Patented Dec. 16,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- QNN avwemtoz E snares s MEIER GEO. HILIERT, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BETHLEHEM STEEL BRIDGE CORPORATION, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TURN-TABLE CENTER.

Application filed April 30, 1918. Serial No. 231,647."

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MEIER GEO. Hnlrnntr, citizen ofthe United States, residing at Harrisbur in the county of Dauphin and State of ennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turn- Table Centers, of which the following is a specification,

invention relates to the subject of railway turntables, tical and highly e cient design of center bearing or pivot therefor.

To this 'end the invention contemplates a novel construction of turntable adaptable to any turntable structure including a central cross girder or equivalent member or members, and. functioning to support and distribute the turntable load in such a manner that the table itself may be freely rotated or moved. with a minimum resistance while effectually holding. the.

parts against lateral displacement. Also the improved center permits the necessary flexibility to compensate for the flexing and deflection of the turntable span or spans under load whether stationary or moving over an irregular track surface. That is to say, the present invention has in view as a general object the provision of a turntable center bearing construction which includes special-supporting means, for the turntable span, having a relatively large supporting area to provide for evenly and uniformly distributing the turntable load, and also providing a construction which permits of a slight rockin movement of the span in the direction 0% its length without in any way impairing or sacrlficing the strength and rigidity thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a center disk construction which includes a minimum number of simple and stable parts that may be easily assembled and quickly taken apart for inspection of the working parts without raising the turntable proper, and which are also constructed to furnish all the benefits of dual lubrication for the parts which are in frictional engagement so as to insure the elimination of all unnecessary friction as far as possible, to thereby not only make the manipulation of the table easier, but also conserve the life of the parts. 1

A. further object of the invention is to provide a turntable center which may be used in connection with any type of turn-' articularly to a prac center table, and to this end is particularly designed to take the heavy unbalanced lateral thrusts from greater power brakes and the like necessitated by heavier locomotives. In this connection it is proposed to provide a center construction which furnishes ample strength against lateral displacement of both the center parts and turntable'to offset the increasing tendency toward lateral displacement because of quicker operation and increased power applied at the ends of the able. Furthermore, it is proposed to provide a construction which will readily adjust all inequalities of turntable alinement longitudinally, and then distribute the concentrated load evenlyover a properly designed and lubricated surface.

Astill further object, in addition to all of the foregoing special objects, is to provide a center bearing including a novel load distri'buting and flexing unit, wherein the wholefunit is equally as eflicient asva ball bearing, conical roller, lenticul-ar disk, or any other type of friction reducing mechanism, but is far superior to any of these devices because of its simplicity, cheapness, and the fact that it can be constructed to take care of all lateral thrusts'and the like. lVith the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the natureof the invention is better understood,

the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, 'in which Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a tandem span turntable showing the preferred form of center disk in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional. view of the center bearing shown in Fig. 1, the same being'partly in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the upper member of the center bearing, clearly illustrating the socket or seats for receiving the bearing pins. m

Fig. 4 is an'enlarged bisected top plan view of the 'bottom member of the center bearing. I

'Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the bearing 1n. Fig. 6. is an end elevation thereof showing both sections.

Fig 7. i a iew si ilar t F a 1 O g a portion of the top a modified type of center bearing in elevation.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View similar to Fig. 2, but showing the construction illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view showing bearing member of the center together with the bearing shoes and filler blocks in their relative position.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of a further modified form of center bearing.

Fig. 11 is a topplan view. of the saddle block, clearly showing the transverse ribs thereon for preventing lateral movement of the superimposed saddle seat.

Fig. 12 is a detail top plan View of a onepiece top bearing shoe having a clearance ,notch for the cable post which may be substituted for the separate shoes shown in Figs. 1 and 7 of the drawings.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. v

As previously indicated,-an important feature of the present invention is to provide a center pivot construction which is simple andfstrong, and capable of readily with- -"I standi ngfftlie"hQaVy vertical. and lateral thrusts imposed thereon. To this end, it is V proposed: to employ a base casting 1 of ample proportions, and which therefore preferably includes-a relatively large flanged anchoring base? which may be suitably emplaced upon the masonry floor of the turntable pit, and

heldin position by the use of anchor bolts 3, or their equivalent... For the purpose ofincreasing the strength and rigidity of this ,base casting the same is preferably formed ertical reinforcing ribs with a plurality of the base 2 to the body 4 which extend from '5 which has a central vertical passageway 5 and whose upper portion is specially designed to withstand 'md absorb the heavy loads and strains imposed thereon and at the same time keep the parts properly lubricated as will presently appear.

It will be observed that the central flat upper supporting portion 6 of the base body 5 is disposed at a lower level than the outer flange 7 thereof, while between the said por- 7 there is formed an annuing lubricant, and which also accommodates and houses the mating parts of the superposed members of the center bearing.

Fitted to the top section of the body of the base is a special wear plate or disk 9 of anti-friction material. This wear plate is preferably of a cap formation having a heavy depending flange 10 for delivering the lateral thrust and power forces of the turntable direct to the find base with which it telescopes in such a manner that its flange may be readily engaged by a plurality of locking pins 11 placed in,sgcket s 12 arranged accommodate a .lubricant channel 8.

ings, and

a single element for bearing the entire turnbeveled as indicated at 13 to provide a wedging fit between the special metal wea-r disk 9 and the tapered sidewall 14 of the socket Si formed in the underside of the'lower shoe element 15 of the load distributing and fixed relation to the base. In

flexing unit A, (Figs. 1 and 2), whereby as thetop surface wears the bevel will take up play of the top shoe on the disk. The central portion of this special friction reducing disk 9 is provided with a suitable opening to lubricant retaining sleeve 15 which is threaded into the upper end of the electrical conduit clearance opening 5 -in the center of the base casting, while its upper surface and outer beveled edge portion'll is formed with a plurality of lubricant retaining grooves a.

The said b I tt o m shoe element 15 of the load or'fiexing unit includes a body having a heavy depending thrust flange 16 which extends-down into the channel 6 and has a substantial engagement with the beveled side of the wear disk through its inner wall 14, while its outer edge 17 is formedto overhang the upper edge7 of the base casting to provide a dust guard and cover for the said ance recess for the upper end of the sleeve 15 and is further provided with a central passage 20 for accommodating the ,electric cable conduit -C. Furthermore the shoe;

, that at opposite sides this said shoe member 15 is provided with the lifting cars 15 which are undercut on their bottom edges as at 15 to accommodate a suitable rail or Also the central portion of said body is provided with a clearguide for shifting the said shoe member laterally when disengaged from the wear plate and base.

Each of these bearing seats is adapted to receive a novel cylindrical'loadcentering or bearing pin designated generally as 25 'consisting of the complemental sections 26 and 27, best shown in Figs. 5 and '6 of the drawwhich together constitute in effect table load. Thesaid sections of the bearing pins are each provided with the registering openings 28 at right angles to their inner flat faces for receiving the locking bolts 29 when in operative position, i. 6. when the fiat faces are vertical as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, while their outer ends are formed with the angular tool gripping shanks 30, which are exposed through the notched thrust walls 23 whereby upon the removal of the locking bolts 29 the said ends 30 of the pins may be engaged by a wrench or like tool and rotated nlnety degrees so that their flat faces will be horizontal and'register with the top edge of the sockets 2122 in the bottom shoe, for the purpose ofremoving the. upper portion of the load distributing unit as Wlll hereinafter appear.

The upper member or top bearing shoe B ofthe load distributing and flexing. unit is preferably made in two sections or one section as B Fig. 12 having a notch to enable it to clear the cable post 0 when withdrawn laterally, and therefore consists of the duplicate saddle sections 31, each of which includes a body having the oppositely extending flanges 32 that may be bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the lower flanges of the cross girder of the turntable to insure the proper stability and rigidity-by means of the detachable fastening bolts 33 or their equivalent. The said body portion of each member 31' is, likethe upper portion of the member 15, formed with a socket to accommodate one of the load centering pins 25 whereby all of the turntable load concentratedon the saddle seat is in turn transmitted to the pins 25. Thus, each upper shoe-mernber 31 is provided with a transverse saddle seat for bearing on the pins 25,-

which saddle seat and pins are disposed parallel to the vertical center of the cross girder and will continuously adjust the whole unit to all inaccuracies in level of span longitu-- dinally as it revolves, and alsoconcentrate the entire load vertically and evenly through the saddle across the center of the-bottom shoe.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the presentturntable center essentially includes in its organization a base casting having rigidly interlocked therewith a special soft metal wear disk which carries the entire turntable load that is distributed thereto evenly and proportionately through the novel flexing means of the load distributing unit A.- This load distributing unit.

having a portion thereof rigidlyconnectedwith the girder of the turntable must there-- fore rotate on the special metal wear disk,

and one of the important features and characteristicsthereof, aside from the flexing which adapts the load to the center, is the construction which permits of the partial dismantling for inspection and re air purposes Without jacking up or li ing the provide a center which may be taken apart for repairs and like purposes by easily and quickly removing the top shoe elements 31 and one section of the load bearing pins 25 which are disposed transversely of the turntable span, and which, though positively held in operative position, can be readily manipulated so that the upper member of the unit when disengaged from the cross girder may be shifted laterally topermit the removal of the pins and also the liftingup of the lower member 15- of the load distributing unit to inspect, repair, adjust, or replace the special wear disk 9 and other contacting surfaces.

With reference to the particular manner of accomplishing the above result, it may be noted that while the separate sections 26 and 27 of each cylindrical pin 25 have their flat sides vertical as shown in Fig. 2 and the bolts 29 extend through the openings 28 thereof and through the clearance notches 24 of the adjacent members of the load distributing unit, the said pins will beheld rigidly in place. However, when the bolts 29 are removed and the squared ends of the pins which project through the notches in the thrust wall 23 are engaged load distributing unit, thus leaving the lower half of the pins in the sockets 21'22.

On the other hand when it is desired to reassemble the parts in their operative relation the upper members 31' may be shifted back into position with the sections 26 of the pins in the saddle seats of said memhere. may be rotated a quarter turn and the bolts 29 placed in position, and also the members 31 which constitute the upper section of the load distributing unit may thenbe secured to the cross girder.

- A further modification of the invention .including all of the novel features and characteristics previously set forth, is illustrated in Figs.'7, '8 and'9 of the drawings. In this type the same character of base and wear disk is employed as in the structure shown in: Figs. 1 to 4, the only material change involved being in the flexing elements of the load distributing unit. Accordingly, as will be observed from Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive it will be seen that the lower shoe member 15 of the load distributing unit which is provided with the sockets 21 and 22, similar in every respect to the sockets 2122 of the lower shoe of the center construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 Then, when the pinsregister they and are adapted to receive the special bearing elements 34-34 each of which is in the form of a flat plate having formed on one side thereof a semi-cylindricalrib 35 adapted to fit into one of the sockets of the lower shoe of the load distributing unit. These special bearing elements 34-34 are adapted to be bolted to a filler block36 which in turn is secured to the lower flanges of the cross girder, and as clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9 it will be observed that the thickness of the filler block 36 is greater than the depth of the sockets 21 and 22 so that when the bolts or equivalent fastenings 37 which hold the parts in assembled relation are removed, the filler blocks 36 may be shifted out of position to permit the special bearing elements 34 to be lifted out of the sockets. Again in this construction the necessity of jacking up the turntable span at the cross girder is eliminated in order to have access to the wear disk or other parts clamped between the lower member of the load distributing unit and the top of the base casting. It will thus be seen that an important and distinguishing feature of the invention resides *in the independent removability of the load distributing unit which constitutes the revolving part of the bearing. That is to say, this unit, by reason of the construction described, may be disassembled and removed independently of the fixed base of the bearing and of the span itself, thus entirely obviating the necessity of imposing upon the cross girder construction an upward flexing strain by jacking to remove and repair the bearing. Therefore, according to the present invention it is only necessary to temporarily support, by jacks or otherwise, a span construction, when the loading distributing unit is being removed or replaced, without lifting.

A further modification of the invent on is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings. In this form of the invention it is proposed to employ a base casting 38 having a relatively flat bearing top 39 and an annular lubricant groove 40, one wall of which is beveled as at 41 to receive the tapered side wall of a socket 42 formed in a special metal wear disk 43 adapted to rotate on the flat top 39 of the base instead of being interlocked therewith as in the other forms of the invention. This special metal wear disk therefore constitutes the lower member of the load distributing unit and has its upper surface provided with a suitable socket 44 for receiving a saddle block 45. The upper surface of this block is curved and provided with a plurality of upstanding ribs 46 for interlocking with the upper shoe 47 of the load distributing unit which providesa saddle seat and is adapted to have a relative rocking movement on the curved surface of the saddle block 45, but

47 is of course rigidly secured by the fastenings 48 or their equivalent to the lower flanges of the cross girder, and cooperates with the semi-cylindrical saddle block to provide a rocking point parallel to the cross girder, such as found in the other forms of the invention.

A further feature of practical importance, which is provided for by the present invention, is that of arranging the entire bearing in the novel manner shown in Figs; 1 and f the drawings. According to this novel arrangement a single cross girder construestruction Gr may be employed between the opposite. girders H-H of the span above the lower chords of'the span girders. Accordingly, with the bearing arranged beneath and supporting the single cross girder located wholly within the span in a plane between the top and bottom chords of the span girders. The practical effect of this arrangement is to better stabilize and balance the entire structure permitting the center of gravityto be lowered to a material extent.

I claim 1. A turntable including, in combination, a span having a single cross girder construction, a trunnion unit arranged beneath and supporting the single cross girder construc tion and having means for focusing the load over an area lying entirely within the plane of tl'ie'cross girder and constituting the revolving structure of the bearing, and a fixed separate base having friction reducing means interposed between the same and said revolving structure.

2. A turntable including, in combination, a single cross-girder construction intersected by the vertical pivot axis of the span, a base, and a load'distributing unit having a horizontal separable member interposed between said base and the cross girder construction, said unit having means for permitting rocking of the span.

3. A turntable including,.in combination, a single cross girder construction intersected by the vertical pivot axis of the span, a base carrying a disk-bearing, and aseparable load distributing unit having a horizontal removable member interposed between the said bearing and the cross girder construction.

4. A turntable including, in combination,

' a. span, a single cross-girder construction intersected by the vertical pivot axis of the span, and a pin-bearing paralleling the cross girder.

5. In a turntable, the combination withv construction the entire center bearing is zontal flexing unit parallel to the cross girder.

6. In a turntable, the combination with j the turntable span and a single crossgirder, of a separable pin-bearing paralleling the crossgirder and comprising opposite bearing shoes and a pin interposed between and engaging said shoes.

7. In a turntable, the combination with the turntable span and a single cross girder, of a separable pin-bearing paralleling the cross girder and comprising opposite bearing shoes and a pin interposed between and engaging the shoes, said pin and shoes sup- .zporting the crossgirder. 8. A turntable including in combination with the span, of a center bearing compristhe span or base.

.on said disk, and havin ing a fixed base and a revolving load supporting unit interposed between the base and the span and removable independentlyof 9. A turntable including in combination with the span, a center bearing comprising a fixed base and an independently removable and load supporting unit interposed between the base and the span and having a horizon tal separable member.

10. A turntable center constructionincluding in combination with the span, a. fixed base, a metal wear-disk fitted to the base, and a flexing load distributing unit having one of itsmembers detachably fastened tothe turntable span to permit of its removal in a horizontal direction without jacking up the turntable span and the other of its members rotatablybe'aring on said disk.

11. In a turntable construction, the com bination with the turntable span and cross girder, of a center bearing having a vertical pivoting axis and a horizontal flexing axis parallel to the cross girder, said horizontal .axis consisting of bisected cylinders norwear disk fitted to said topand having a beveled thrust flange, and a flexing load distributing unit superimposed upon said disk and including a bottom shoe element having a heavy depending flange adapted to fit in said groove and havin a beveledwall for engaging the beveled e go of the wear wdisk.

14. In a turntable. center construction,

base casting having a bearing top, an annular lubricant retaining channel formed around saidbearinggtop, the outerwall of said channel projecting above the plane of the latter, a wear disk locked to said base .andhaving a bearing face provided, with lubricant grooves and a flexing load distributing unit superimposed on said disk, and including a bottom'shoe having a dust guard flange for overhanging said outer wall of the lubricant channel.

15. A turntable center construction including a ba'se casting, a wear disk interlocked therewith, and a load distributing unit rotatable on the upper surface of the wear disk and including upper and lower shoe members and single intermediate pivot element located in the plane of the axis of rotation of the said load distributing unit.

16. A turntable center construction in cluding a base casting, a wear disk interf locked therewith, a load distributing unit rotatably. supported on the upper surface of the wear disk and including a lower shoe member having a thrust take up bearin on the wear disk, an upper shoe member de-' tachably locked to a portion of the turntable, and an intermediate removable pivot element.

.17. A turntable. center and wear disk interlocked therewith, and a load distributing unit rotatably supported on the upper surface of the wear disk and including'upper and lower shoe members, and means for providing a locking engagement between they said members and adapted to be manipulated so that the upper shoe member of the unit may be removed laterally from position.

18. A turntable center construction including a base casting, a wear disk inter lockedtherewith, and a load distributing unit supported'on the upper surface of the wear disk and including upper and lower shoe members and an intermediate pivot element, said upper shoe member being rigidly but detachably engaged with a portion-of.

the turntable and also adapted to be shifted laterally to permit inspection of the bearing faces of the-load distributingunit without jacking up the turntable.

19. A turntable center construction including a base casting, a wear disk inter-- a beveledlocked with the latter and having sideportion, and a load distributing unit including a-lower shoe member having a bottom socket provided with a tapered thrust wall for engaging with thetapered side edge of the wear disk.

20-. A turntable center construction including a base casting having an annular lubricant retaining channel, a wear disk in terlocked with said base, and a load distributing unit including a bottomshoe member a supported on the upper surface of the wear disk and having-a depending thrust flange for engaging with the edge of the wear disk and extending into the said lubricating channel, said lower shoe member also having an extended flange portion at its outer edge for cooperating with the outer edge of the base casting to provide 'a cover and dust guard for said annular channel.

21. An turntable center construction includin a base casting having an upstanding centraf portion and an annular lubricant chamber surrounding the same, a special Wear disk telescoping with the upstanding central portion of the base, means for locking the disk to the base and a load distributing unit rotatable on the upper surface of said disk and including a lower member having a telescopic engagement with said Wear disk and a flange portion for covering the annular lubricant channel.

22. A turntable center construction including a base casting having a central conduit clearance and also having an annular lubricant channel and a central upstanding portion whose top surface is in aplane below the outer edge of the lubricant channel, a special metal wear disk fitted to the central upstanding portion of the base and also having its upper bearing face located below the upper edge of the outer wall of the lubricant retaining channel, a lubricant retaining sleeve fitted to the base at the upper end of said conduit clearance, and aload distribu'ting unit rotatably supported on said special metal .wear disk and providing a cover for the'lubricant channel.

23. A turn-table construction including opposite span sections consisting of relatively deep girder elements, a recessed single cross-girder connecting the inner ends of said span sections, and a center bearing for rotatably supporting the turn-table, said center bearing disposed entirely within the recess in the cross-girder and entirely beplanes of the top and bottom edges of the span sections.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of a witness.

MEIER GEO. HILPERT. I

Witness EMORY L. Gnorr. 

